May 06, 2022

6 Living Room Layout Ideas: How to Design Your Living Room

Let's get back to the basics: How do you lay out a living room (also known as a family room) to make sure everyone is comfortable? In this article, we’ll share tips and ideas for laying out your living room so everyone can easily walk through the room, sit in cozy spaces, and have fun gathering together.

The Classic Living Room Layout

Typically, a living room design centers on the people sitting in the room, enjoying one another’s company. In a classic living room layout, you’ll notice:

One or two sofas and/or sectionals at the center of attention — The best place to center your sofa or sectional is wherever people tend to congregate in your room.
Between one and four armchairs — These typically face the center of the room, perpendicular to or facing your sofa or sectional. This way, it’s easy for armchair sitters to converse, play games, and enjoy other activities with those seated on the sofa or sectional.
Surfaces for beverages and food — You may have a coffee table in the center of the seating area, side tables next to each seat, or a combination of these items.
Shelves on at least one side wall of the room — These are perfect for displaying books, collections, family photos, and other treasured objects.

Some living rooms also have a desk in the corner, a buffet or console for storing more items, a television as a focal point, and/or other miscellaneous objects that suit your personal needs.

How to Design Your Living Room Layout

Of course, you have your own unique sense of style and living needs! We recommend checking out several different sample floor plans for your living room before deciding on one that will work best for your family. For example, Apartment Therapy offers these ten floor plan ideas for your consideration.

There are also apps that can help you try out different configurations for your room. Some of our favorites include:

Foyr — You can design realistic, 3D layouts of each of your rooms with a free 14-day trial.
Amikasa — Amikasa is another 3D design app available for 99 cents on iPhones and Windows that allows you to design rooms with your exact dimensions.
Home Design 3D — Available on the App Store, Google Play, and Mac App Store, this app offers a free version as well as paid options to fit your budget and design needs.

Before using any of these apps, be sure to measure the dimensions of your room, including doorways and even hallways leading up to the room. This way, you can plan to move in furniture which will fit through all walkways before you finalize any design plans.

6 Living Room Layout Ideas

Let’s check out some inspiration for your living room layout! Feel free to tweak any of these ideas to meet your personal preferences.

A Minimalist Haven

A minimalist room prioritizes plenty of open space to make your living room feel light and airy. Notice how the bookcases are sparsely decorated with only a few meaningful objects, and small pops of color are brought into the room with small plants at the center of the coffee table. Without extraneous objects distracting our attention, we can fully admire the beautiful vaulted ceilings, exquisite marble fireplace, and breathtaking windows in this room.

A Contemporary Space

The contemporary interior design style is both minimalistic and bold. Contemporary rooms are full of color and comfort, with accessories that are both practical and pretty. For example, check out the playful throw pillows, cozy sofa blanket, and abstract chandelier which bring life to this living room.

A Rustic Room

In rustic design, you showcase natural materials like wood beams on the ceiling, hardwood floors, and cotton upholstery. Your goal is to repurpose, recycle, and reclaim objects wherever possible. The rustic interior design style also favors neutral tones, such as brown, tan, gray, and white.

A Glamorous Home

The Old Hollywood Glamor interior design style evokes feelings of nostalgia for elegant days full of extravagance. In a Hollywood Glamor living room, you may find bold, graphic art prints, luxurious materials like furs, and plenty of shiny, metallic accents. Even with an open or small floor plan, like the one shone above, furniture and accessories can be positioned to designate different areas of your home.

A Traditional English Countryside House

Traditional English country homes find inspiration from eras gone by, borrowing designs from various centuries to create a truly homey space. You may find a 16th century Chesterfield sofa, a reclaimed farmhouse-style mirror, and a 1950s lampshade all in one room! The key to designing a living room in this style is to pull your favorite functional and prized possessions into a cohesive layout.

A Mid-Century Modern Paradise

Mid-century modern designs prioritize function over frills. You’ll find geometric shapes, comfortable seating, and plenty of teak wood furniture in a mid-century modern home. Notice how the chairs in this living room face the window so visitors can enjoy the view while chatting with one another. A pouf is available as a foot rest, side table, or even as an extra seat if needed.

About Sofa Creations — California’s Custom-Made Furniture Company

We’ve been California’s most trusted family-run custom furniture company since 2010. We love working with clients like you to design the perfect custom-made sofa, sectional, or sleeper sofa for your home. Please contact us to learn more about our customization process, or visit us in San Francisco or San Rafael to see some of our favorite styles in person.

Confirm your age

Come back when you're older